Steam-engine



(No Model.)

A. GRAM.

STEAM ENGINE.

Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

0, [m 3 T w M M vwawtoz cMew @"QIM NTTED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRIMV GRAM, OF MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN.

.STEAM- ENG l N-E.

.BPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,537, dated November 16, 1886.

Application filed March 29, 1886. Serial No. 197,034. (No model.)

To (1313 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW GRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Menominee,

, lowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for lifting or disconnecting the eccentric hooks of steam-engines from the rockerarms when it becomes necessary to stop the engine; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

WVhen it becomes neccessary to stop the motion of a single-cylinder stationary steam-engine, it is usual, in order to prevent the said engine from stopping on the deacl-cente'nior the attendant to disconnect the valve from its actuating mechanism by lifting the eccentric hook from its pin in the rocker-arm, when the said valve may be operated by hand, thus enabling the attendant to govern the motion of the engine, so as to cause it to stop at any desired point. This object I accomplish by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicl1- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the valve mechanism of a steam-engine provided with my improved lifting devices. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of myimprovement. Fig.

3 is a detailed elevation roller.

A is the main engine-shaft, to which cured the usual eccentric, B.

0 represents the eccentric-rod, which has one end connected to the eccentric by means of the usual eccentric-strap, and is provided at its opposite end with a hook, D, which engages a pin, it, that projects from one side of tlie rocker-arm E. The upper end of the rocker-arm is connected to one end of a pitman, a, the opposite end of which is adapted to be attached to the valve-stem, which latter is not here shown, as it may be of any usual construction, and forms no part of this invention. When the shaft Arotates, vibratory moof the anti-friction is setion is imparted to the valve through the cocentric-rod O, the rocker-arm E, and the pitman a, as will be readily understood.

' vention.

F represents a vertical steam-cylinder, in which is fitted the piston b. The said piston has a rod, 0, which extends through the upper end or head of the cylinder, and to the upper end of the said rod is attached a cross-head, d, in which is journaled a grooved anti-friction roller, 0, which bears against the under side of the eccentric-rod, near the free end of the latter. bracket or shelf, G, which is bolted or fastened to one side of the engine-bed, which latter is not here shown.

H represents a three-way valve, which communicates with steam-pipes l, f, and f, the

latter of which extends from the valve to the lower end of the steam-cylinder. An arm, 2', is secured to the valve, and the said arm is connected to the hand-lever g by means of a rod, h.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The attendant, by moving the lever 9, moves the valve H to the position shown in Fig. '2, thus admiting steam through the pipes f and f into the lower end of the cylinder F, where it acts against the piston andraises the latter, causing the eccentric-rod to be unshipped from the pin k of the rocker-arm E and raised to the position shown in'dotted lines in Fig. 1. This disconnects the rocking arm and the valve-gear from the eccentric-rod, causing the valve to remain stationary and under the control of the attendant.

I do not claim, broadly, the idea of disconnecting the eccentric rods of steam-engines from the rocker-arm. The patent of Willoraham, N 0. 137,273, employs avertically-mo'vable rod operated by a foot-lever to effect this end. There is nothing new, broadly, in the use of a three-way valve with the steam-connections for the cylinder in other classes of inagency to effect the disconnection of the eccentric-rod from the rocker-valve is old, as

shown in patents of Onslow and Oelert, No.

- Having described my invention, I claim- In combination with the eccentric-rod O, the steam-cylinder F, the piston b, piston-rod c, the upper end of which rests under the eccentric-rod G, the rocker-arm .E, connecting The cylinder is supported on a Moreover, the use of stearn as an with the valve-gear of the engine and having In testimony that I claim the foregoing as o a pin, k, a notch formed in the rod 0 to remy own I have hereto affixed my signature in ceive the pin, the end of the rod beyond the presence of two witnesses. v 1 pin providing a handle, the steam-cylinder 5 and its piston being located on the other side ANDREW GRAM.

of the pin, pipes for admitting steam to and exhausting it from the cylinder, a valve for Witnesses: controlling the passage of steam, and lever- A. L. SAWYER, connection for operating the valve, as set forth. B. S. WAITE. 

